The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-03-31
LAND IN SIGHT.
A TEN DAY'SVOYAG ACROSS THE
ATLANTIC.
A Native North CarOlinian Writes n De.
scrlptiOn of His First Voyage En- Route
to the German Empire.

A Native North Carolinian Writes a De-
scription of His First Voyage En- Route
to the German Empire.
Especial Cor STATE CHRONICLE.1
CHEMNITz, GERMANY, March 1, 1887
Ten days of eating and drinking, of
waking and sleeping. Ten days of exis-
tence without care! Ten days of balmy
rest and utter mental lassitude. Such had
been my first voyage across the Atlantic
When we had backed slowly out from
the wharf in Jersey City amidst the tears
and cheers of the multitude who had gath
cred to bid a God's-speed to departing
friends, we had looked at each other in
cold suspicious land fashion, and had Won
dered who would be the first to break the
ice of reserve. But how naturally it had
all come about! With one we had passed
word at dinner, against another we had
been thrown by the rolling of the ship,
with a third We had become acquainted at
the noble game of 'bull, and -alas.-with
a fourth We had cemented an eternal
friendship while gazing in melancholy ST.
lence over the ships rail. But never mind!
We were far too indolent to be anything
else than amiable; and so We had drifted
rapidly into pleasant comraheship and
happy, go as you please familiarity.
1t was a beautiful moonlight night
Around us the sea lay in gentle undula-
tionS of black, except when it sparkled in
the moonlight. On top of the wheel house
the cabin company recined in the most
comfortable positions attainable, wrapped
in Overcoats and rugs. | cannot conc i've
of anything more deliciously lazy. In our
party were several who had good and even
fine voices. These led, and the rest of us
joined in the chorus. Underneath. the
wheel churned and splashed, while our
voices drifted out over the ocean and
joined the ghosts of the songs that have
been sung. Our impromtu leader was a
young physician and it requires but little
Imagination for me to hear again his fine
tenor voice pouring forth the high notes of
that beautiful song. white wings that
never grow weary or my bonny is over
the ocean" Do not think that we were
sentimental group. By no means. We
were simply and Intensely indolent.
We had among us two Italian ladies,
soft, tuneful ballads which reveal the full
music of their native tongue, when that
inevitable and indefatigable creature, an
American small boy, who was perched on
a yard above us, shouted Land, land!'
In moment all our Incidence was for
gotten. In body We rushed forward to
where the captain stood on the bridge"
watching a distant light through pair of
marine glasses. The Sclliy Islands," ne
called down to US. Most of us had once
upon time studied geography; but it
must be confessed that there were some of
the passengers who were not entirely sure
rs to whether the Scilly Islands were
North of Spitzbergen or West of Madagas-
car. However. we decided to take the
captains word for it, and to go back to
our songs.
Bessie, it is getting late.'
''Ges, ma. l will be in, presently" Such
was the fragment of dialogue which
overheard as | walked slowly down the
deck at 1 "a N. And yet We were all out
soon after sunrise.
The sensation which one who has trav-
eled very little feels when he sees before
his eyes that which he has had in his
mind as dream ever since his infancy,
is simply indescribable. We can know
thing and yet not realize it l had al
ways known that there was land called
England, but when l stood at the rail and
saw its beautiful rolling hills with my own
eyes, | was dumbfOundeG. l even doubted
the accuracy of my glasses when l thought
| discovered a white house among the
trees; but when l had borrowed pair
from my neighbor and found that my
first conjectures were correct, 1 could
hardly believe it. A maiden lady of an
uncertain age who stood near me fairly
danced with JOY when she discovered a
man-though there were dozen of them
within ten feet of her. Poor, dear con-
iding creature. did not have the heart
to undeceive her, though l saw distinctly
through my glasses that her ''man' was
an oak tree about hundred feet in height.
Away off to the north, hardly visible
amidst the haze that hung in a narrow
belt above the horizon, we caught an un-
satisfactory glimpse of the famous Eddy
stone light-hous But when We had fin
ished our breakfast it was gone; and with
it all traces of land. This was only for
short time, however, as from time to time
throughout the day we had indistinct
gimpses of the English coast, and at 4 p.
N. we were opposite the Isle of Wight at
a distance of only three or four miles
To our sea-sick eyes it was indescribably
beautiful in its summer freshness. The
Isle of Wight with its rolling hills and
many colored fields, its pretty towns and
struggling hamlets is one of the most
beautiful memories that l can call to
mind And so day drfted into night: but
the charm was broken. Indolent satisfac-
ton had given place to busy anticipation,
and the quiet informality of ocean life had
begun to yield before the breath of old
WOrlu CUSTOMS WHICH We were breathing
with the air.
Like gigantic torch-light professions the
lights of Brighton and Hastings drifted
by us. And Bessie's mamma said come
and Bessie meek came.
In the morning the tall houses and
high roofs Of Dunkirk, Ostend and Bruges
greeted us from the southern shore, and
at ten o'clock we were passing Flushing
with it's quaint little Dutch houses and
pretty red-tiled roof peeping over the huge
dykes. Flushing is at the mouth of the
river Scheldt, and here we bade farewell
to the sea- Holland is full of pretty, red
tiled villages with handsome churches and
great white sailed wind mills.
But everything on board the ship was
in confusion. The decks were covered
with trunks and satchels. Every one was
nervous and excited and felt awkward In
his or her land clothes.
We were soon out of Holland and with
in the busy little kingdom of Belgium.
Before us, in the midst of forest of
masts and rigging, rose the graceful tower
of the Cathedral Of Antwerp.
We're We glad, or were we sorrys We
could not tell; but we repaired to the
hotel St. Antoine and bade farewell over
merry dinner. X.
"A Perfect Flood OF Sunshine''
will fill the heart of every suffering woman